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First Gentleman: How now! which of your hips has the most profound sciatica? |
MISTRESS OVERDONE: Well, well; there's one yonder arrested and carried to prison was worth five thousand of you all. |
Second Gentleman: Who's that, I pray thee? |
MISTRESS OVERDONE: Marry, sir, that's Claudio, Signior Claudio. |
First Gentleman: Claudio to prison? 'tis not so. |
MISTRESS OVERDONE: Nay, but I know 'tis so: I saw him arrested, saw him carried away; and, which is more, within these three days his head to be chopped off. |
LUCIO: But, after all this fooling, I would not have it so. Art thou sure of this? |
MISTRESS OVERDONE: I am too sure of it: and it is for getting Madam Julietta with child. |
LUCIO: Believe me, this may be: he promised to meet me two hours since, and he was ever precise in promise-keeping. |
Second Gentleman: Besides, you know, it draws something near to the speech we had to such a purpose. |
First Gentleman: But, most of all, agreeing with the proclamation. |
LUCIO: Away! let's go learn the truth of it. |
MISTRESS OVERDONE: Thus, what with the war, what with the sweat, what with the gallows and what with poverty, I am custom-shrunk. How now! what's the news with you? |
POMPEY: Yonder man is carried to prison. |
MISTRESS OVERDONE: Well; what has he done? |
POMPEY: A woman. |
MISTRESS OVERDONE: But what's his offence? |
POMPEY: Groping for trouts in a peculiar river. |
MISTRESS OVERDONE: What, is there a maid with child by him? |
POMPEY: No, but there's a woman with maid by him. You have not heard of the proclamation, have you? |
MISTRESS OVERDONE: What proclamation, man? |
POMPEY: All houses in the suburbs of Vienna must be plucked down. |
MISTRESS OVERDONE: And what shall become of those in the city? |
POMPEY: They shall stand for seed: they had gone down too, but that a wise burgher put in for them. |
MISTRESS OVERDONE: But shall all our houses of resort in the suburbs be pulled down? |
POMPEY: To the ground, mistress. |
MISTRESS OVERDONE: Why, here's a change indeed in the commonwealth! What shall become of me? |
POMPEY: Come; fear you not: good counsellors lack no clients: though you change your place, you need not change your trade; I'll be your tapster still. Courage! there will be pity taken on you: you that have worn your eyes almost out in the service, you will be considered. |
MISTRESS OVERDONE: What's to do here, Thomas tapster? let's withdraw. |
POMPEY: Here comes Signior Claudio, led by the provost to prison; and there's Madam Juliet. |
CLAUDIO: Fellow, why dost thou show me thus to the world? Bear me to prison, where I am committed. |
Provost: I do it not in evil disposition, But from Lord Angelo by special charge. |
CLAUDIO: Thus can the demigod Authority Make us pay down for our offence by weight The words of heaven; on whom it will, it will; On whom it will not, so; yet still 'tis just. |
LUCIO: Why, how now, Claudio! whence comes this restraint? |
CLAUDIO: From too much liberty, my Lucio, liberty: As surfeit is the father of much fast, So every scope by the immoderate use Turns to restraint. Our natures do pursue, Like rats that ravin down their proper bane, A thirsty evil; and when we drink we die. |
LUCIO: If could speak so wisely under an arrest, I would send for certain of my creditors: and yet, to say the truth, I had as lief have the foppery of freedom as the morality of imprisonment. What's thy offence, Claudio? |
CLAUDIO: What but to speak of would offend again. |
LUCIO: What, is't murder? |
CLAUDIO: No. |
LUCIO: Lechery? |
CLAUDIO: Call it so. |
Provost: Away, sir! you must go. |
CLAUDIO: One word, good friend. Lucio, a word with you. |
LUCIO: A hundred, if they'll do you any good. Is lechery so look'd after? |
CLAUDIO: Thus stands it with me: upon a true contract I got possession of Julietta's bed: You know the lady; she is fast my wife, Save that we do the denunciation lack Of outward order: this we came not to, Only for propagation of a dower Remaining in the coffer of her friends, From whom we thought it meet to hide our ... |
LUCIO: With child, perhaps? |
CLAUDIO: Unhappily, even so. And the new deputy now for the duke-- Whether it be the fault and glimpse of newness, Or whether that the body public be A horse whereon the governor doth ride, Who, newly in the seat, that it may know He can command, lets it straight feel the spur; Whether the tyranny be in his place, Or i... |
LUCIO: I warrant it is: and thy head stands so tickle on thy shoulders that a milkmaid, if she be in love, may sigh it off. Send after the duke and appeal to him. |
CLAUDIO: I have done so, but he's not to be found. I prithee, Lucio, do me this kind service: This day my sister should the cloister enter And there receive her approbation: Acquaint her with the danger of my state: Implore her, in my voice, that she make friends To the strict deputy; bid herself assay him: I have grea... |
LUCIO: I pray she may; as well for the encouragement of the like, which else would stand under grievous imposition, as for the enjoying of thy life, who I would be sorry should be thus foolishly lost at a game of tick-tack. I'll to her. |
CLAUDIO: I thank you, good friend Lucio. |
LUCIO: Within two hours. |
CLAUDIO: Come, officer, away! |
DUKE VINCENTIO: No, holy father; throw away that thought; Believe not that the dribbling dart of love Can pierce a complete bosom. Why I desire thee To give me secret harbour, hath a purpose More grave and wrinkled than the aims and ends Of burning youth. |
FRIAR THOMAS: May your grace speak of it? |
DUKE VINCENTIO: My holy sir, none better knows than you How I have ever loved the life removed And held in idle price to haunt assemblies Where youth, and cost, and witless bravery keeps. I have deliver'd to Lord Angelo, A man of stricture and firm abstinence, My absolute power and place here in Vienna, And he supposes... |
FRIAR THOMAS: Gladly, my lord. |
DUKE VINCENTIO: We have strict statutes and most biting laws. The needful bits and curbs to headstrong weeds, Which for this nineteen years we have let slip; Even like an o'ergrown lion in a cave, That goes not out to prey. Now, as fond fathers, Having bound up the threatening twigs of birch, Only to stick it in their ... |
FRIAR THOMAS: It rested in your grace To unloose this tied-up justice when you pleased: And it in you more dreadful would have seem'd Than in Lord Angelo. |
DUKE VINCENTIO: I do fear, too dreadful: Sith 'twas my fault to give the people scope, 'Twould be my tyranny to strike and gall them For what I bid them do: for we bid this be done, When evil deeds have their permissive pass And not the punishment. Therefore indeed, my father, I have on Angelo imposed the office; Who m... |
ISABELLA: And have you nuns no farther privileges? |
FRANCISCA: Are not these large enough? |
ISABELLA: Yes, truly; I speak not as desiring more; But rather wishing a more strict restraint Upon the sisterhood, the votarists of Saint Clare. |
LUCIO: |
ISABELLA: Who's that which calls? |
FRANCISCA: It is a man's voice. Gentle Isabella, Turn you the key, and know his business of him; You may, I may not; you are yet unsworn. When you have vow'd, you must not speak with men But in the presence of the prioress: Then, if you speak, you must not show your face, Or, if you show your face, you must not speak. ... |
ISABELLA: Peace and prosperity! Who is't that calls |
LUCIO: Hail, virgin, if you be, as those cheek-roses Proclaim you are no less! Can you so stead me As bring me to the sight of Isabella, A novice of this place and the fair sister To her unhappy brother Claudio? |
ISABELLA: Why 'her unhappy brother'? let me ask, The rather for I now must make you know I am that Isabella and his sister. |
LUCIO: Gentle and fair, your brother kindly greets you: Not to be weary with you, he's in prison. |
ISABELLA: Woe me! for what? |
LUCIO: For that which, if myself might be his judge, He should receive his punishment in thanks: He hath got his friend with child. |
ISABELLA: Sir, make me not your story. |
LUCIO: It is true. I would not--though 'tis my familiar sin With maids to seem the lapwing and to jest, Tongue far from heart--play with all virgins so: I hold you as a thing ensky'd and sainted. By your renouncement an immortal spirit, And to be talk'd with in sincerity, As with a saint. |
ISABELLA: You do blaspheme the good in mocking me. |
LUCIO: Do not believe it. Fewness and truth, 'tis thus: Your brother and his lover have embraced: As those that feed grow full, as blossoming time That from the seedness the bare fallow brings To teeming foison, even so her plenteous womb Expresseth his full tilth and husbandry. |
ISABELLA: Some one with child by him? My cousin Juliet? |
LUCIO: Is she your cousin? |
ISABELLA: Adoptedly; as school-maids change their names By vain though apt affection. |
LUCIO: She it is. |
ISABELLA: O, let him marry her. |
LUCIO: This is the point. The duke is very strangely gone from hence; Bore many gentlemen, myself being one, In hand and hope of action: but we do learn By those that know the very nerves of state, His givings-out were of an infinite distance From his true-meant design. Upon his place, And with full line of his authori... |
ISABELLA: Doth he so seek his life? |
LUCIO: Has censured him Already; and, as I hear, the provost hath A warrant for his execution. |
ISABELLA: Alas! what poor ability's in me To do him good? |
LUCIO: Assay the power you have. |
ISABELLA: My power? Alas, I doubt-- |
LUCIO: Our doubts are traitors And make us lose the good we oft might win By fearing to attempt. Go to Lord Angelo, And let him learn to know, when maidens sue, Men give like gods; but when they weep and kneel, All their petitions are as freely theirs As they themselves would owe them. |
ISABELLA: I'll see what I can do. |
LUCIO: But speedily. |
ISABELLA: I will about it straight; No longer staying but to give the mother Notice of my affair. I humbly thank you: Commend me to my brother: soon at night I'll send him certain word of my success. |
LUCIO: I take my leave of you. |
ISABELLA: Good sir, adieu. |
ANGELO: We must not make a scarecrow of the law, Setting it up to fear the birds of prey, And let it keep one shape, till custom make it Their perch and not their terror. |
ESCALUS: Ay, but yet Let us be keen, and rather cut a little, Than fall, and bruise to death. Alas, this gentleman Whom I would save, had a most noble father! Let but your honour know, Whom I believe to be most strait in virtue, That, in the working of your own affections, Had time cohered with place or place with wish... |
ANGELO: 'Tis one thing to be tempted, Escalus, Another thing to fall. I not deny, The jury, passing on the prisoner's life, May in the sworn twelve have a thief or two Guiltier than him they try. What's open made to justice, That justice seizes: what know the laws That thieves do pass on thieves? 'Tis very pregnant, Th... |
ESCALUS: Be it as your wisdom will. |
ANGELO: Where is the provost? |
Provost: Here, if it like your honour. |
ANGELO: See that Claudio Be executed by nine to-morrow morning: Bring him his confessor, let him be prepared; For that's the utmost of his pilgrimage. |
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